Thursday

Oct 10, 2013 at 12:01 AMOct 10, 2013 at 10:10 AM

Massachusetts will be home to the third EU-US eHealth Marketplace and Conference Oct. 22-23 at the Seaport World Trade Center. This conference is being held as part of Connected Health Week and will allow participants from around the world to connect with global health innovators, public officials and business leaders to learn perspectives on the economy as well as the benefits of collaborating between our countries.

Massachusetts will be home to the third EU-US eHealth Marketplace and Conference Oct. 22-23 at the Seaport World Trade Center. This conference is being held as part of Connected Health Week and will allow participants from around the world to connect with global health innovators, public officials and business leaders to learn perspectives on the economy as well as the benefits of collaborating between our countries.

Last year marked the first EU-US eHealth Marketplace and Conference, which stemmed from our work through NIMAC, an informal group formed in 2009 to spur international collaboration, as well as through the European Connected Health Alliance. These transatlantic connections established Massachusetts as the gateway to the United States for European nations and expanding opportunities for research and business growth here and in Europe.

At this time, we were also able to make an exciting announcement from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a delegation representing Northern Ireland and the University of Ulster to promote a new international partnership in the fast-growing field of eHealth and medical technology. The agreement that these two leading institutions made was the result of shared goals and a desire to share the research advancements that both have made in the areas of medical devices technologies and innovation.

This same conference was held in Boston last year and marked the first time it was held outside of Washington, D.C. It had notable success and brought together 420 health industry leaders from 24 countries and 21 states across the United States. It was remarkable to see these leaders coming together to break down our borders and share common goals of economic development, prosperity, as well as job creation. And in May, I was honored to travel to Dublin, Ireland to speak at the second conference, during which hundreds of researchers and companies heard from experts from both sides of the Atlantic and participated in over 500 business-to-business meetings.

We were chosen to host this conference for the second time in a row because of the many steps we’ve taken to put our state on top when it comes to the health industry and economy. Many already know of the landmark Health Care Reform Act that the Legislature passed in 2006. Since then, we have led a consistent legislative approach to addressing health care quality, access and cost concerns. In 2008, we passed legislation to increase access to primary care doctors while reducing waste and modernizing our health care system with requirements for uniform billing and the use of electronic medical records. And, in 2010, we passed the small business health insurance relief bill to answer the calls for help from our struggling small businesses.

We have continued to see success and make progress within our health care system in the commonwealth. Last year, in 2012, the Legislature passed health care cost containment legislation that will save an estimated $200 billion over the next 15 years by setting a goal for reducing health care cost increases over the long-term. This bill also dedicates $30 million in the next five years to accelerate and facilitate the ongoing statewide adoption of the interoperable electronic health records, building on the legislation passed in 2008.

Now, nearly 70 percent of physicians across Massachusetts are now using electronic records, and this is one of the highest rates in the United States.

Additionally, Massachusetts was the first in the U.S. to meet the federal enrollment goal of 2,500 physicians to adopt electronic health records and to achieve “meaningful use,” which is a comprehensive standard set by the federal government. This is great news, and we hope to continue along this path of success in the areas of health IT and eHealth.

Here in Massachusetts, we recognize that we must look beyond both our state and national borders to find opportunities for collaboration that can make an impact around the world. This is why we encourage and emphasize research and innovation in the life sciences and biotech sectors. I look forward to this year’s conference and the connections we will make to further establish Massachusetts as an ideal partner with which to do business.

To learn more about the conference, such as this year’s agenda and how to sign up, go to www.connectedhealthweek.com. I hope you will join us!

Therese Murray is the president of the Massachusetts Senate and represents the people of Bourne, Falmouth, Kingston, Pembroke, Plymouth and Sandwich. Each month she writes about issues of importance from the State House to our backyards throughout the district. Find her on Twitter (@ThereseMurrayMA), Facebook (Senate President Therese Murray) and at www.theresemurray.com.

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